Panthers confident Jenkins will attend camp

CHARLOTTE -- The first big question about the Carolina Panthers upcoming training camp looks like it's going to evaporate before the first player arrives.

While many don't think defensive tackle Kris Jenkins is going to show after boycotting the voluntary June workouts, those close to the situation are sure that Jenkins will be there Friday when players report to Wofford College in Spartanburg.

Jenkins was here for the mandatory minicamp the weekend after the draft, but stayed away from the entire three-week summer school since he didn't have to be there. The only other player in franchise history to do so was linebacker Kevin Greene in 1997, during a snit over a raise then-general manager Bill Polian wasn't going to give him. That set the stage for Greene's eventual release.

But while money's at least partly the reason Jenkins stayed away this summer as well, the Panthers won't repeat history.

Team officials have been strangely confident that he'd return, and general manager Marty Hurney said last week he'd gotten no indication from agent Tony Paige otherwise.

"We've communicated the whole time, Tony and I," Hurney said. "We expect Kris to be there, no question."

Hurney's isn't blind optimism. Jenkins' representatives have apparently been working with the team to organize an outing in Spartanburg for a group of children Jenkins works with -- something he wouldn't be doing if he wasn't planning on showing up.

What he won't have when he arrives is a new contract. That's been his goal since the spring, and when Detroit gave defensive tackle Cory Redding a seven-year, $49 million deal last week ($20 million guaranteed), it added fuel to the speculative fire regarding Jenkins' status. There's no movement on a new deal, and most league observers said he needed to show up in shape and repeat last year's Pro Bowl-level play to even have a chance at another payday. He's under contract through 2009 on the six-year, $31 million extension he signed in 2003.

One agent who has similar players in his stable -- and is familiar with the way the Panthers work -- said Jenkins has little leverage since he's only played one full season in the last three because of injuries, and days away from his 28th birthday is considered a player in decline rather than one on the rise.

"Giving Jenkins a new deal right now would be like buying a '93 Ferrari," the agent said. "Sure it's a beautiful car, and not too many people have one like it. But you just don't know how long you can run it hard before it breaks down."

Re: Panthers confident Jenkins will attend camp

To follow up on this, it seems Jenkins will in fact be at camp on time...

Yes, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins will be at the Carolina Panthers training camp on Friday, his agent told me over the weekend.

But I'm STILL not convinced Jenkins will be around when the Panthers tee it up for real in September against the St. Louis Rams. There is still the possibility the Panthers could trade Jenkins if given the right offer (all it would take is for another NFL team to lose a starting defensive tackle to injury in the preseason or get to camp and suddenly realize they lack talent on the defensive line). There's also a chance, albeit slim, the Panthers could release Jenkins outright if he comes to camp at 385 pounds and with a heavy attitude to match. The last thing the Panthers need is a guy who is going to be a cancer in the locker room, so it's not out of the question that they cut bait.

Here's my concern: If Jenkins was really committed to playing for the Panthers -- and giving 100 percent -- then I'm not sure why he would alienate himself from his teammates and the coaching staff by staying away from minicamp for three weeks. What good did that do? It didn't resolve anything and certainly didn't get him a new contract.

Obviously, he's still a little upset over the team attempting to trade him or his lack of a new contract, or both.

Regardless, I don't believe all of the problems between Jenkins and the Panthers are going to melt away in the Spartanburg sun. Jenkins is an emotional guy and things can change in an instant. The final page of this story has yet to be written.